ERIC Number: EJ1282250
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Aug
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0004-9441
EISSN: N/A
Identifying Factors That Contribute to Academic Success in First Year Allied Health and Science Degrees at an Australian University
Anderton, Ryan S.
Australian Journal of Education, v61 n2 p184-199 Aug 2017
With an increasing number of students enrolling into Australian universities, developing an understanding of the variables underlying academic success, is growing in importance. In the present study, three first-year cohorts (2013-2015) studying towards five allied health or science degrees (n = 1,676 students) were examined to ascertain the impact of students' entrance pathways and demographic background on academic performance and retention. Results identified gender and the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank as significant predictors of academic performance, with female students (p < 0.05) and students entering with the highest quartile of Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank score (p < 0.001) performing strongest. Results also revealed that students from government secondary schools performed significantly higher in terms of first year grade point average (p < 0.05) compared with students from non-government schools and that secondary school tuition fees correlated positively with ATAR score but negatively with first year GPA (p < 0.05). The findings from this study have implications in the formulation of education policy, particularly highlighting the strength of students from government schools transitioning to university science and allied health degrees.
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Academic Persistence, School Holding Power, Student Attrition, College Freshmen, Allied Health Occupations Education, Science Education, Health Sciences, Student Characteristics, Socioeconomic Background, Gender Differences, Public Schools, Grade Point Average, Predictor Variables, Disadvantaged, Place of Residence, Tuition, Admission Criteria, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A